Like a Moth to a Flame
by Silver Mist4
Summary: All for freedom and for pleasure, nothing ever lasts forever. Everybody wants to rule the world." In her seventh year at Hogwarts, Hermione fights to maintain her idea of "perfection"... even while under the lustful influence of Lucius Malfoy.


Summary (because the one in the beginning didn't quite tell you anything, did it?):

Hermione traverses a thin line between what she wants, and what others want of her. And in her seventh year, she finally decides to try some things she never thought herself capable of doing- of her own free will, that is. Some things that her buff boyfriend Ron and brotherly Harry have trouble accepting. Some things, that should never be done by anyone. Such as falling in love with Lucius, a heartless bastard who never in a million years could ever possibly love her- a bookwormish, out-of-shape, bushy haired know-it-all mudblood- back… right?

I do not own Harry Potter. This will hold true for all the chapters to come.

Chapter 1: Prologue 

Hermione sighed as she walked along the empty 9 3/4 platform. Predictably, she was the first one to arrive. _Of course she was; certainly she was; without a doubt she-_ _stop this_, she told herself sternly. _It's stupid. And embarrassing. And so childish. But really… was that so wrong? I mean, its not like Parvati and Lavender weren't fawning over _Winnie the Pooh_, of all things… Logically, obviously, completely, resolutely, oh my god, that guy is soooo cute!_

"Hi! " the boy said innocently, face flushed after his jog through the barrier. Leaving his cart next to a bench, he walked up to her. "Are you here for Hogwarts too? "

She fought the urge to snort at his stupidity. "Uhhh… yeah, " she smiled. _Ok, so he's a bit dim. That doesn't change the fact that he's really cute!_ "My name's Hermione Granger. I'm going to be the Head Girl. "

"Oh! I'm Lucy Sangblot. I'm just going into first year, and I'm so excited! I've wanted to go for sooo long, I mean doesn't everyone? It's so exciting. I think I'm going to faint. Especially since, ohmigod, Draco's in your year, isn't he? Ohmigod, you are like the luckiest girl in the school! Oh god, I'm so excited! I really hope I get sorted into Slytherin, I mean, Draco's there! Ah! Ohmigod, isn't he just the _hottest_ guy in the school? And I hear he's like, a total sex god. And I mean…"

Hermione had zoned out. _What the hell's wrong with me? Am I a lesbian pedophile or something? Well, fine… a bisexual pedophile. That kinda makes it even worse. No child is safe from me! Oh god, what am I thinking? This is so wrong. Well, not that I'm lesbian, I mean, generically it's fine to be a lesbian. I have nothing against lesbians. I mean, girls really are pretty- but I don't fall for girls! I mean… bisexuality doesn't even exist! I mean, you love one person, right? And the gender of that one person will determine your sexuality. And I may think a girl is cute, but that's just normal! Isn't it? Of course it is! Haha, ha… ha…. Ok, I'm just making a big deal out of nothing. I fancy Ron; that's that._ Coming to this hasty conclusion, she focused her eyes back on the girl in front of her. _The only reason I thought she was cute was because she resembles a guy so much…_

"That's so rude. You can't just zone out in the middle of a conversation with people, you know? I mean, I know I'm a first year and you're an all-mighty Head Girl, but that gives you no right whatsoever to dismiss me like I am nothing. For your information, I come from a long line of purebloods; the Sangblots are a very respectable family, nothing compared to the Malfoys, of course- "

At this point, Hermione didn't bother to zone out the prattling voice in front of her. _Just shows… looks can be deceiving,_ she though, walking away from the new addition to Slytherin house. By this point, several more witches and wizards had filtered onto the platform. Glancing around her, she was relieved to see Seamus sitting alone on a bench, scribbling frantically.

"Hey, Seamus! " she smiled. "How's your summer been? "

"Hermione! " he basically squealed. _Wow, I didn't know boys squealed…_ "Thank god! Ok, you need to help me finish this charms homework… "

_Of course. What else is new?_ "Sure, Seamus. What have you got already? "

(..)¬

"Hermione! " Ron hollered across the platform. "Hey, Hermione! "

She looked up to see the figures of her three best friends sauntering over to her, and smiled. _I'm so lucky to be in this group!_ she thought, noticing the appreciative glances the Hogwarts population threw towards the threesome. Apart from Malfoy, these had to be the most popular students in the school.

"Hey Ron, Harry, Gin! " she grinned. "How was your summer? "

"Well, it put a downer on things when you couldn't come to the Burrow, " Ron offered, seating himself on her other side with a friendly, yet somewhat cold, nod to the smiling Seamus. "But other than that, it was fine. "

Hermione blushed, hoping that the red-head boy wouldn't notice. Obviously he did! Everyone knew that she'd fancied the Griffindor Keeper since second year! _He really does love to taunt me, though._ Hermione couldn't say that she minded that much. After all, even teasing was better than nothing. "What about the rest of you? " she asked, trying to draw attention away from her reddened face.

"Same, " Ginny grinned, leaning towards Hermione. "I have to tell you something! " she whispered mock secretively. "But the boys can't know! "

"What's this? " Ron demanded, obviously falling for the not-so-subtle hint. "Well, you can tell 'Mione anything you want, but she's got no secrets from me!" he smirked, leaning closer to Hermione and laying his palm on her knee. "Isn't that right, love? "

Hermione's face went a deep shade of red. Quickly, she stood up and brushed herself off. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ronald. I can't remember the last time I told you a secret, much less one that wasn't my own. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use the loo. " With that, she sprinted off- in the wrong direction.

"Hey Hermione, wait! " Seamus called after her desperately.

"What's your problem? " Ron barked at his surprised classmate.

"I-I don't know what you mean, Ron! " he replied shakily. Everyone knew of Ron's flaring temper, and few were brave enough to stand against it.

"I saw the way you were leaning over her, Seamus. And I'm warning you- "

"Oh, cut it out Ron! " Ginny groaned, pulling at his arm. "Hermione was helping him with his homework, Ok? Merlin, Ron, you're so over-protective! Honestly, you aren't even going out with her! "

"…Yet, " Harry added with a grin.

Ron grinned back. "We understand each other perfectly. " The comment seemed to echo in the suddenly silent platform. Everyone looked in the direction that everyone else was looking in. No one could see through the crowd that congregated around what Ron guessed to be a fist-fight.

Suddenly, Hermione's shrill voice called out, "Fuck you, Malfoy! " As though a fire was lit beneath him, Ron jumped up and shoved his way towards the center of the jamboree, Harry and Ginny close behind him. What they saw was nothing like what they expected.

Hermione was sprawled on the floor, Draco lying beside her, cradling his head in his arms. Above them towered Lucius, coldly regarding his son. "You do not resort to cheap tricks, Draco. Even if it is a… mudblood, " he said, his voice dripping with menace and loathing. He walked towards Hermione, who lay quivering on the ground. "And you, bitch, you can never insult a Malfoy. " He gripped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Am I clear? " he demanded. Quickly, Hermione nodded. Lucius let go of her, a bruise rapidly forming in place of his fingers. "There _will_ be order, as long as I am to teach here. Understood? " No one made a sound. Calmly, he walked back to his bench and picked a book he had been reading.

"Ohmigod, he is _amazing_, " girls around the room started whispering instantly. "Did you see that? Isn't he so gorgeous? And his voice… He's so strong! "

Freed from her paralysis, Ginny rushed over to Hermione. "Are you ok? " she asked. "What happened? "

Ron grabbed Harry by the sleeve. "Did you… feel that? " he asked shakily.

"Yeah… "

"That's… that's _power_, " Hermione whispered. Knees still shaking, she stood in a wobbly balance. "Oh god, Ginny, I think we're in for a hell of a year. "

Looking her friend in the eye, Ginny grinned shakily. "Hermione, that's more than power. That's… animal magnetism. " Both girls burst into snorts of laughter, leaving their friends to wonder if they should bring them to the coo-koo house.

_Guess… guess I am straight…_

(..)¬

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! I'll trying to keep the characters as in-character as possible. That means Hermione's not beautiful, Lucius is still an evil Death Eater, Draco's a prat, Ron's… Ok, fine. Ron's not the same as in the book. But his personality is pretty much the same! Almost!

I'd love it if you would review!


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